net neutrality

When we think about the problem of achieving affordable access to the Internet for all, the discussion often focuses on broadband targets. These targets are moving goalposts as infrastructure improves. Broadband used to be defined at 256Kbps, now it might be 2Mbps or 5Mbps or something else depending on who you talk to.

The tools available to communication regulators to ensure a fair, competitive market fall into two broad categories. The first category is the ability to incentivise more competition and better behaviour in general. This can happen through lowering the barriers to market entry, through opening up new means of service delivery, etc.

There are many factors that have the enabled the successful scaling of the Internet into a global phenomenon: a consensus-based, voluntary approach to standards; decentralised design; and, a vast body of openly-licensed software have all contributed.